Child&#39;s vehicle



May 8, 1945 SHULER 2,375,389

CHILD S VEHICLE Filed April 14. 1943 INVENTOR. F|G.4. I MORRIS L. SHULER ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 8, 1945 UNITED STATES PAT-EN T O F FICE x I 2,375,389' w r V ICHILDSVEHICLE Y Morris L. Shuler, (lleveland l leights, Ohio Application April 14, 1943, Serial No. 482,937

{7 claims.

This invention relates, as indicated, to chi1- drens vehicles, but has reference more particularly to childrens vehicles of the straddle board or baby-walker type, having foot-boards for supporting the feet of the occupant when the vehicle is being used as a push or pull cart for the child.

The primary object of the-invention is the pro-" vision of a novel foot-rest structure for vehicles of the class described, which is permanently attached to the vehicle, at least during the period in which the vehicle is interchangeably used both as a baby-walker and as a push or pull cart, and which is capable of easy and quick adjustment to either operative or inoperative positions as-de sired, and which, when in use, provides a firm.

support or platform on which the child maysupport its feet or on which the child may stand.

Another object of the invention is theprovision of a novel foot rest structure for Vehicles of the class described, having novel means for attachment thereof to the vehicle as well as for supporting the same in operative position.

A still further object of the invention is the utilization in the construction of a vehicle of the type described of only such materials. as are readily available in commercially desirable quantities and are of a non-strategic or non-essential nature with reference to the present war effort, the invention being developed essentially to supply a current presssing demand for vehicles of this type, without, in any way, meeting that .de-

mand at the expense of demands necessitated for ihe successful prosecution of the war.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent durin the n description.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the vehicle Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the vehicle; p Y

Fig. 3is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 3-3'0f Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the connection of the handle to the vehicle.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the

vehicle will be seen to comprise a saddle board I, the rear portion of which provides a seat 2 from which projects a narrow or reduced portion 3 to course of the followprovide a space on each side thereof to accommodate the legs of a child.

Secured to and partially encircling the seat 2 of the board I is a back rest 4, to which is secured ported by a transversely extending supporting member or rear bolster 9, on the ends of which wheels I0 are revolubly mounted.

Supporting the saddle board I at a pointdi j rectly below the post 6 is a transverselyextending supporting member or front bolster l I which carries atits ends casters or swivel wheels l2.

Mounted on the post 6 below the handle bar I is a tray l3,which is rounded at'the 'front and curved at its rear to conform with the curvature of the retaining strip 5, being, inffact, secured to such strip, so as to rigidify the entire structure.

The'tray has secured thereto along its, peripheral edge a wire 14 having strung thereon attractive multiecolored beads l5, as is customary in chil-.

drens'vehicles of this character.

The vehicle is also provided with foot-rest members or floor boards I 6, which are perma- 1 nently secured to the vehicle,.and extend longi:

tudinally of the vehicle below the straddleboard;

Each of l and between the bolsters 9 and H. such members is provided at its ends at points closely adjacent the inner edge l1 thereof with pins l8 wh'ichextend into recesses IS in the bolas to permit pivotal movement sters 9 and H, so of such members to either the operative position, as shown in solid lines in Fig. 2, or to an inoperativ position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

Wheninoberativeposition, the-members l6 rest on pins 20 which project from the bolsters!) and II, but may be easily swung by hand about the pivots l8 to inoperative positiomwhen so desired.

When the members tion, the child may place its feet'on the ground or floor, and the vehicle, under such-conditions, is used as a socalled baby walker, that is to say,

the child, while seated in the vehicle, may propel it along the ground or floorby means of its feet, and may steer the vehicle. to a certain extent, since the wheels l2 are swivelled.

l5 are in inoperativeposi-- The permanent character-of the connection of the foot rest members to the vehicle isdue to the fact that the ,pins l8 are entered in the recesses I9 at the time the foot rest members and bolsters are assembled, and cannotjtherefore be removed from the vehicle without disassembling the parts of the vehicle. permanently secured within the bolsters 9 and H, and entered in recesses in the members l6 which correspond;- with the recesses 1-9, at the time of assemblyf-g .1

'This permanent connection of'the members I6 to'the vehicle is considered as particularly important in that there is no danger of the footiboard or foot rest becominglost or disconnected If desired, the'pins l8-may be 1 cured to said bolsters, said foot-boards being movable from asubstan'tially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position, and, means ,on the bolsters for supporting said foot-boards when in horizontal position;

- spacedbolsters, a pairof foot-boards extending between said bolsters,,and;rpins extending from I said boards-to said bolsters-and serving as pivots about which said foot-boards may be rotated 'from a substantially horizontal position to a subfrom the vehicle, nor is there'any dangeror properly installing the foot-boards, as haschar acterized all previous vehicles m lo g-em boards or rests. I f 1 I As previously stated, the members l6 may be tilted downwardly to their operative position; and

whenin such position, the child mayires't its feet 7 thereon,;and the vehicle usedas astroller by attaching thereto'a push orpull handle 21, compris ing side bars22, the terminals 23 or which maybe removably insertedv in .inclinedrecesses H in the-- portion 8 of the saddle-'board 'l. Thehandle is thus easy toinsert in the recesses 24 and easy to removetherefrom.--- v Another feature ofthe invention is the manner in which the wheels [2 are mounted on the bolster I I. For this purpose, holes 25 aredrilled vertical 2. In a childs vehicle of the type described,

stantially vertical position, and means on the bolsters for supporting said foot-boards when in hor z nta si i n-.5 3, In a childs vehicle of the character described} spacedbolsters, a pair of foot-boards extendingbetween said bolsters and spaced from each, other along their inner longitudinal edges,

pins adjacent said inner edges'a'nd extending from'said'boards to said bolsters, said pins 'serving as pivotsabout which said boards may be 1y through the bolster at points adjacent-the ends of'the bolster, and these holes are countersunk at, thetop and bottom for the reception of'bushings orbearings 26 which fit snugly in the countersunk portions ofv the holes and-have reduced portions 2] which extend into the-holesbelow-said countersunk portions. The ,wheels l l are mountj ed in. forks 23,,which are inclined at anvangle to the axes oi the holes 25,,and are-"secured to, the bolster H by ,means- .of screw bolts, 29, I which extendupwardly", through the beari ngs 2:6 and holes-25, cap, nuts30 being'secured t6 the upper ends of thebolt-s 29, .these'nuts being screwed down into engagement with washers i l, whichv are interposed between the upperbearings 2B and then uts. Washers 32'are interposed between the- I forks 28 and ithe lower bearings ,26.

the bolts, 29 and the holes 25 may be filled with a heavy f-grea'seon's' 'lar lubricant, so thatthe bearingsfor the bolts are in effect, self-lubricating, insuring, at all times, easy swivelling of the ;wheels|2.- j I It may-be further notedfthat with the exception of-the wire lkf'bolts 29,1'11117330 and the necessary securing screws and rivets, tliat all of the parts of the vehicle are -made of woodfand fiber board, that 'is," materials which ale readily available in comnriercially desirablequantities and are of a non-strategic for non essentia'l nature with reference to the war efiort'. I

It is to be. understood that the formof m invention, herewith shown and described, isto be taken a preferred exampleoi the same, and v that various changes inthe shape, size and arrangement ofparts may be resorted to,'witho1{1t departing from theqspirit of my invention, or

theiscope of v the subioinedclaims.

I:Iaving thus described my i The bear-.. ings 26 are preferably made from vulcanized fiberi or asimilanmateri a'l, which insures a noiseless action of the swivel wheels. Thespaces between nvention, I'claim:

rotated from a substantially, horizontal position:

to 'a substantially"vertical positiornand meanson the-bolsters for supporting said foot-boards when inhorizontalposition.

4'; In :a child's vehicle of the character de scribed; I spaced bolsters, a pair of foot-boards extending between said bolsters, pins extending from said'boards to said bolsters and serving as pivots about which. said: foot-boards maybe ro'- tated from a substantially,horizontal to a sub stantially vertical -.-position, and otherpins extending from said bolster andserving as supports for said boards when in horizontal positione- 7.

5. In. a childs vehicleof the character detud'ina-l "edges tosupport'the samewhen'in j b eir horizontal' po'siti'on. j

6. In a childs" vehicle" of the character described, spaced bolsters having recesses therein, a pair of foot-boards extending longitudinally between said bolsters, L pins permanently secured" to said boards and extending fr om'the 'endsof said boards at points adjacent their inner longitudinal edges anduintmsaid reCesses'said-pins serving as pivots about which said boards may berotated, and means-on th'e bolsters for stoppingthe rotation o'fthe footebo'ard's about said pins.

'7. In a scribed-, spaced bolstersghaving; pins permanently secured thereto andex'tendingintothe-jspac'ebetween said bolsters, a pair of fQQtbQarrdSJeX-f tending longitudinally between said bolsters and having recesses inthe ends thereoiqat points adjacent the inner longitudinal edges thereof into which said pins extend, said' pins serving as pivots about which said boardsmay be swung to operative position', and eans on the bolsters for said foetb oards. when inoperative supporting p it on- 1. In achildsvehicle of the ty e described, spaced bolsters, and foot-boards pivotally se-' I child's vehicle of. the character dc 

